Throttle control.



H. A. ALLEN.

THROTTLE CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25.1914.

1,192,258. Patented July 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

- fi/T/VESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT ARCHER ALLEN, OF WILLOW GREEK, MONTANA.

THROTTLE CONTROL.

Application filed June 25, 1914.

To (all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, I'IERBERT A. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVillow Creek, in the county of Gallatin and State ofMontana, have invented certain new and usefulv Improvements in ThrottleControls, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to throttle controls for engine drivenconveyancessuch as automobiles-and my object is to produce electricallyactuated means whereby a gradual adjustment of the throttle can beeffected from the rear seat of a motor car if Clesired withoutinterfering with or impairing the efliciency of the usual controllingdevice, 11. e., the lever mounted on or adjacent to the steering wheeland under the sole control of the chauffeur.

Another object is to provide a. construc tion and arrangement of partswhich will permit of the adjustment of the throttle electrically eitherby an occupant of the tonneau or by the chaufieur.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel and peculiarfeatures of con struction and organization as hereinafter described andclaimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a plan view ofpart of the steering wheel of a motor car and of throttle controllingmechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is an elevation of the same.Fig. 3, is an enlarged section on the dotted line III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4,is a detailed perspective view of a double ratchet segment forming apart of the controlling appliance. Fig. 5, is a diagrammatic viewshowing the electric circuits.

In the said drawings, 1 is the steering wheel of a motor car and 2 thesteering column thereof. 3 is a collar secured rigidly on said columnand provided with a radially projecting arm 4 equipped at opposite sideswith horizontally arranged electro-magnets 5 and 6. At the opposite sideof the column from arm 4: the collar is equipped in a plane preferablybelow its lower edge with a radially projecting arm 7, terminating in anupright pin 8 and at opposite sides of said arm 7 the collar is providedwith outwardly Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Serial No. 848,319.

projecting sets of ears 9 between which are pivoted for movement in ahorizontal plane, rock levers, each having an arm 10, one of whichconstitutes an armature for magnet 5 and the other of which constitutesan armature for magnet 6. Each rock lever is also provided with an arm11 connected by a retractile spring 12 to a fixed point for the purposeof holding the armature arm withdrawn from the magnet.

Pivoted to the free ends of arms 11 of the rock levers, is a pair ofpulling pawls 13, one located in a plane below its respective lever andthe other in a plane above its respective lever but both normally heldby retractile springs 14 against the pin 8, as shown most clearly inFig. 1. Extending vertically through the collar in the radial plane ofarm 7 is the throttle rod 15, the same projecting above the collar 3 andbeing journaled in a collar 16 mounted on the steering column, andprovided with a segmental guide frame 17 for the throttle lever 18,arranged under said frame and secured rigidly to the throttle rod 15,for the purpose of turning the latter and thereby effecting an increaseor diminution in the supply of explosive fluid admitted to the engine;said lever having a hook 19 for slidingly engaging the guide 17 andassisting through frictional engagement therewith in preventingaccidental movement or adjustment of said lever. The lever is providedat a suitable point with a depending arm 20, and formed integrally withor secured to said arm 20 is a pair of segmental ratchets 21 and 22, theformer occupying the horizontal plane of the pulling pawl attached tothe rock lever which cooperates with pulling pawl carried by the leverwhich cooperates with electro-magnet 6, it being noted that the teeth ofthe ratchet segments 21 and 22 face in opposite directions in view ofthe fact that the pawls are adapted to pull in opposite directions underthe action imparted to the rock levers by their respectiveelectro-magnets,

Referring now to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the electro-magnets at oneend are grounded. In practice they will, of course, be grounded in thesense that they will be connected to the frame or other part of the carfor establishing electrical connection between them. For convenience theelectric circuit is shown as follows: is a pair of conductors leadingfrom the magnets 5 and 6 to a common wire El, and in circuit with saidwire E l is a battery 25 or its equivalent. 26 are conductors leadingfrom the opposite ends of the magnets to one or more electric switcheswhich are shown as of the push button type, that is to say, Coinprisecontacts 2? and 28 and a spring plate 29 arranged between and out ofcontact with contacts 27 and 28, the plate 29 being grounded by aconductor 30 and provided with apair of insulated buttons 31 and 32.Fig. 5 shows the circuit as embot ying two switches of the typedescribed but it will be understood that there may be any de sirednumber of these switches and they may be located at any convenientpoint, for instance, one may be located within reach t a personoccupying the back seat of the car so that he may effect a decrease orin crease in the speed of the car by completing a circuit through theproper magnet which, in a manner hereinafter explained, diminishes orincreases the supply of explosive fluid as the case may be.

As the control of the throttle through the section of theelectro-magnets is more perfeet than through the operation of thethrottle lever by hand, it may be desirable to provide the steeringwheel with a plurality of the push button switches, as indicated in Fig.1 and Fig. 3, so that the chauffeur may adjust the throttle ordinarilyby the push buttons. The lever, of course, may be used when necessary ordesirable.

Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l, and thatthe throttle is open, it will be seen that it may be closed in the usualmanner, tnat is, by swinging the throttle lever in the directionindicated by the arrow without affecting the position of the rock leversor pulling pawls or either of them. In the event it is desired to impartclosing movement to the throttle electrically, a passenger in the car orthe chautlcur thereof may operate apush button to effect theenergization of magnet 5 to cause the same to attract its armature andthereby operate the connected pawl in the direction indicated by theadjacent arrow, Fig. 1. As said pawl is thus moved its spring 14-.swings it inwardly so that its tooth shall engage the lower segment andpull it in the same direction, which movement of course, is i1nparted tothe throttle lever and therefore to the throttle, not shown. By reasonof the fact that the pulling movement of the pawl is short it will beobvious that with each operation of the push button the throttle will beadjusted but slightly and that it will require successive operations ofa push button to effect material adjustment of the throttle. For thisreason it is obvious that adjustments of the throttle, through theoperation of a push button, eti'ect either a gradual increase ordecrease in the supply of explosive mixture to the engine. The reverseoperation ot the push button, as will be readily understood by referenceto the drawings, will result in the con'ipletion of a circuit throughthe other electrounagnet and therefore etlect reverse action of thethrottle lever, that is to say, will tend to impart such movement tosaid lever as will open the throttle.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the push button switches canbe applied to the steering wheel in a very convenient manner. In saidfigure the push buttons project slidingly through holes 33 in the spokesof the wheel, contact being grounded through conductor 30 and the spokeof the wheel. The contacts 27 and 28, for engagement at times by contact99, are mounted in a block of insulation secured in the spoke.

From the above description it will be apparent that the occupant of arear seat of a car may control the speed thereof without the necessityof instructing the chauffeur and that the chauffeur may also control thespeed electrically if he desires, instead of graspin and moving thethrottle lever, this be ing desirable not only because the speed oi. thecar will be increased or diminished -;raduall through the necessity ofrepeatedly operating the push button, but because there is no necessityfor him to loosen his grip on the steering wheel as required in handmanipulation of the throttle. Furthermore, by providing the steeringwheel with a pluralityof push buttons, as shown in 1, the chautl'eur canconveniently use either hand for elleeting a variation in the speed ofthe car without releasing his grip on the steering wheel, and leave theother hand free to shift the gears or apply the brake.

While I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, itis to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in thedetail construction and arrangement of the parts as properly fall withinthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A throttle control, coui n'ising av steering wheel column, athrottle rod carried adjacent thereto, a trip pin, a pair ofelectromagnets, rock levers constituting arniatures for said magnetsrespectively, means for yieldingly holding the armaturcs withdrawn fromthe magnets, pawls carried by the armatures and normally held in ino'ierative position by said trip pin, a pair of oppositcly toothedsegments movable with the throttle rod, and yielding means for cau ingeither of said pawls to engage one of said segments and impart rotativemovement thereto and to the throttle red, when one of theelectro-magnets attracts th armature equipped with such pawl,

52. A throttle control, comprising a steer ing wheel column, a throttlerod carried ad jacent thereto, a trip pin, a pair of electromagnets,roch levers constituting armatures for said magnets respectively, meansfor yieldingly holding the armatures withdrawn from the magnets, pawlsca ied oy the armatures and normally held in inoperative position bysaid trip pin, a pair of oppositely toothed segments movable with thethrottle rod, and yielding means for causing either of said pawls toengage one of said segments and impart rotative movementthereto and tothe throttle red, when one of the electro-magnets attracts the matureequipped with such pawl; said pawl being adapted under the returnmovement of the armature when the magnet is deenergized to be trippedfrom engagement with the segment by the said pin.

3. A throttle control, comprising a steering wheel column, a throttlerod carried adjacent thereto, a trip pin, pair of electromagnets, rocklevers constituting armatures for said magnets respectively, means foryieldingly holding the armatures withdrawn from the magnets, pawlscarried by the armatures and normally held in inoperative position bysaid trip pin, a pair of oppo sitely toothed segments movable with thethrottle rod, yielding means for causing either of said pawls to engageone oi said segments and impart rotative movement thereto and to thethrottle rod, when one of the electro-magnets attracts the armatureequipped with such pawl, and one or more electric switches electricallyconnected with each of said magnets for energizing either of the same.

l. A throttle control, comprising a steering wheel column, a throttlerod carried adjacent thereto, a trip pin, a pair of electromagnets, rocklevers constituting armatures for said magnets respectively, means foryieldingly holding the armatures withdrawn from the magnets, pawlscarried by the armatures and normally held in inoperative position bysaid trip pin, a pair of oppositely toothed segments movable with thethrottle ro l, yielding means for causing either of said pawls to engageone of said segments and impart rotative movement thereto and to thethrottle rod, when one of the electro-magnets attracts the armatureequipped with such pawl, electric connections for each of said magnets,and an electric switch adapted for movement in one direction to completethe circuit through one magnet and for movement in the oppositedirection to complete the circuit through the other magnet.

5, A throttle control, comprising a steering wheel column, a throttlerod carried adjacent thereto, a trip pin, apair of electro-magnets,roclr levers constituting armatures for said magnets respectively, meansfor yieldingly holding the armatures withdrawn from the magnets, pawlscarried by the armatures and normally held in inoperative position bysaid trip pin, a pair of oppositely toothed segments movable with thethrottle rod, yielding means for causing either of said pawls to engageone of said segments and impart rotative movement hereto and to thethrottle rod, when one of the electro-magnets attracts the armatureequipped with such pawl, a source of electric energy in circuit withboth magnets, a pair of contacts each in circuit with said source ofelectric energy through one of said magnets, another contact in circuitwith said source of electric energy, and means for causing thelast-named contact to engage either of the first-named contacts.

6. A thr ttle control, comprising a steering wneel column, a pair ofelectro-magnets supported therefrom, a pair of levers supportedtherefrom and constituting armature for said electro-magnets, meansyieldingly holding the armatures withdrawn from the magnet, a throttlerod suitably supported from the column, a handle projecting from therod, :2. pair of segments secured to said handle and provided withoppositely lined teeth, a fixed pin adjacent to said segments, a pair ofpawls pivotally carried by said levers and adapted for operat on inopposite cirections and for enga ment respectively with said segments,and normally held by said fixed pin out of engagement with saidsegments, springs tending to cause said pawls to engage said segments,and means for sending pulsations of current through either of saidmagnets to cause the me through the related pawl, to impart step-by-stepmovement to the adjacent segment and hence to the throttle rod.

7. The combination with a steering column and a throttle rod and handlefor operating the same, of a pair of oppositely toothed segments securedto the handle, a

pair of magnets supported from the column,

a pair of levers constituting armatures for said magnets, springsholding the levers normally away from the magnets, pawls pivoted to thelovers and projecting toward each other, springs tending to swing thepawls toward the segments, a pin normally preventing such movement oithe pawls and adapted also to trip the pawls from engage ment with thesegments when the magnets nets or the other to effect operation of theare cleenergizecl, push button switches carthrottle rod.

riecl by the steering wheel and electrically In testimony whereof, Iaflix my signaconnectecl to the magnets, and a source of ture, in thepresence of two witnesses. energy in circuitwith the magnets and theHERBERT ARCHER ALLEN. push button switches whereby the operationWitnesses:

of a switch in one direction or the other will PEARL VALBERT,

complete a circuit through one of said mag- JOHN lVALBERr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

